First DSCC Ad Slams Blunt For Long Record of Corruption

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee launched their first IE ad of the cycle yesterday, titled "Bailout."

"Roy Blunt took over $1.6 million in contributions from Wall Street special interests, and was named one of the most corrupt members of Congress. Roy Blunt isn't just in Washington -- he IS Washington."

The DSCC's statement announcing the ad:

In the first ad of the general election, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is presenting Congressman Roy “Bailout” Blunt to Missouri voters.  Congressman Blunt, who represents the very worst of Washington, was the “man in the middle” on the $700 billion bank bailout talks, and “led the House GOP” in crafting the bank bailout bill.  Congressman Blunt has been rated one of the “most corrupt” members of Congress, and over the course of his career has taken in over $1.6 million in campaign contributions from Wall Street special interests.  No wonder Congressman Blunt has a long history of sticking it to the middle class and leaving them behind.

“Congressman Roy Blunt represents the very worst of Washington,” said DSCC National Press Secretary Deirdre Murphy. “Not only did Washington insider Blunt bail out the big banks to the tune of $700 billion, he’s also been rated one of the ‘most corrupt’ members of Congress and has taken in over $1.6 million from Wall Street special interests.  The choice for Missouri voters couldn’t be clearer this November: Congressman Blunt, a longtime Washington insider who encapsulates everything wrong with Washington, or Robin Carnahan, a proven reformer who will take on the special interests.”

Washington insider Congressman Blunt has a record of sticking it to the middle class.  Blunt rubberstamped the disastrous policies put into place by former President George W. Bush that protected Wall Street and exploded the federal deficit.  After leading the charge to bailout big banks to the tune of $700 billion, Blunt now stands in the way of commonsense efforts to jumpstart job creation.  The people of Missouri can thank Blunt for thousands of lost jobs, a huge trade imbalance, and Wall Street bank bailouts.

DSCC IE “Bailout”
Copy/Visual	Documentation
Narrator: Roy Blunt's Washington.   Visual: ROY BLUNT’S WASHINGTON
Narrator: A culture of corruption and special interests. Where Missouri gets left behind.   Visual: ROY BLUNT’S WASHINGTON   Visual: MISSOURI GETS LEFT BEHIND
Narrator: And, when our economy collapsed – Washington is where Roy Blunt took the lead and voted for the 700-billion-dollar Wall Street bailout.   Visual: ROY BLUNT TOOK THE LEAD   Visual: $700 BILLION BAILOUT   Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 11/23/08; Vote 681, 10/3/08	Headline -- Blunt Leads House GOP In Bailout Talks. [Gannett News Service, 9/30/08]   Headline -- Blunt Is Man in the Middle for Bailout Talks. [CQ Today, 9/26/08]   Blunt Lines up Support for Another House Bailout Vote. [Gannett News Service, 10/2/08]   Blunt Key Negotiator On Financial Bailout Package. Blunt was a key House negotiator on the financial bailout package, working closely with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. CQ reported that “Hoyer said he and Blunt, who has emerged as the GOP leadership's point man in trying to get a recovery bill passed, had spoken by phone ‘three, four five times today.’ Blunt also spoke to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House aides said.” [CQ Today, 10/1/08]   Blunt: According to Secretary Paulson, Wall Street Rescue Bill Doomed To Fail Until Sen. Gregg And I “Stepped Up And Made It Happen.” During an interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Blunt said Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson had credited Blunt and Sen. Judd Gregg for making sure the TARP legislation passed. Asked “what would be a couple of high points as a leader,” Blunt said, “And then of course, I had (Treasury Secretary) Hank Paulson tell me on the phone last night that this rescue effort (for the $700 billion financial rescue) appeared not to be happening “until you and (New Hampshire Sen.) Judd Gregg stepped up and made it happen.” [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 11/23/08]   Blunt Voted For $700 Billion Bailout For Banking Industry. In October 2008, Blunt sided with voted for the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, which created the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP).  [Vote 681, 10/3/08]
Narrator: Where Blunt has taken over 1.6 million dollars in contributions from Wall Street.   Visual: ROY BLUNT $1.6 MILLION FROM WALLSTREET AND FINANCIAL INTERESTS   Source: Center for Responsive Politics	Blunt Has Accepted Over $1.6 Million from Wall Street Special Interests. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Roy Blunt has accepted $1,658,044 from securities, banks and financial interests over his career.  Blunt’s contributions include $943,159 from securities and investment interests, $581,435 from commercial banks and $139,850 from finance and credit companies.  [Center for Responsive Politics]
Narrator: And Washington is where Roy Blunt was named one of Congress's most corrupt politicians.   Visual: ROY BLUNT “MOST CORRUPT”   Source: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington Press Release, 9/20/06	Blunt Named One of 13 Most Corrupt Members of Congress. In 2005, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), named Blunt one of the 13 most corrupt members of Congress. CREW named Blunt because of his alleged “misuse of his position for the benefit of his family.” The report cites Blunt’s involvement in pushing legislation that it says benefited Philip Morris and United Parcel Service. Blunt's wife, Abigail Perlman, is a lobbyist for the Altria Group, which owns Philip Morris, and a son, Andrew Blunt, lobbies for UPS in the Missouri Statehouse. [Joplin Globe, 9/27/05]   Blunt Named One Of 20 Most Corrupt Members Of Congress. In 2006, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) named Roy Blunt in the second annual “20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress” report, a report documenting “the egregious, unethical and possibly illegal activities of the most tainted members of Congress.” It marked Blunt’s second consecutive year to be included in the report. [CREW Press Release, 9/20/06]
Narrator: Roy Blunt.   He isn’t just IN Washington…   …he IS Washington.   Visual: ROY BLUNT IS WASHINGTON
Narrator: The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is responsible for the content of this advertising.     Visual: Paid for by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee,www.dscc.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.  The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is responsible for the content of this advertising.